The producers of Spain’s renowned manchego cheese have accused their Mexican counterparts of “crude plagiarism” in a row that is holding back a new trade deal between the EU and Mexico.

“We have to defend our manchego tooth and nail,” says Francisco Tejado, walking through the factory of Spain’s biggest cheese producer, Garcia Baquero, located in the arid plains of La Mancha, the region famed for the cheese.

Manchego is an EU protected designation of origin (AOC) product, which is respected within the bloc but not always further afield.

And in Mexico, in particular, manufacturers have used the names of several “European cheeses, including manchego, to reap profit from crude plagiarism”, complains Santiago Altares, head of the group that gives out AOC labels to manchego producers.

Also funny but of even less global significance is the EU's list of foods with 'Protected Geographic Status'.

Basically, a European country finds any old recipe that has historically been used by people in their country and the EU then passes a law that no one else is allowed to call their foods by that same name, even if produced to the exact same recipe, preparation technique etc. For example, no one is allowed to call their Soumaintrain cheese 'Soumaintrain' unless they produce it in the Burgundy region of France. If a British dairy farm produces Soumaintrain cheese and calls it 'Soumaintrain' when selling it, they are liable to be fined by the EU. At present there are 1,349 types of food that the EU protects in this manner.

This same logic is the reason the Spanish government have complained formally to the EU Parliament about Mexicans producing Manchego cheese. Mexicans are not using the milk from a particular type of sheep found in a particular region of Spain, therefore their cheese cannot possibly be called Manchego without civilization as we know it collapsing.

Also funny but of even less global significance is the EU's list of foods with 'Protected Geographic Status'.

Basically, a European country finds any old recipe that has historically been used by people in their country and the EU then passes a law that no one else is allowed to call their foods by that same name, even if produced to the exact same recipe, preparation technique etc. For example, no one is allowed to call their Soumaintrain cheese 'Soumaintrain' unless they produce it in the Burgundy region of France. If a British dairy farm produces Soumaintrain cheese and calls it 'Soumaintrain' when selling it, they are liable to be fined by the EU. At present there are 1,349 types of food that the EU protects in this manner.

This same logic is the reason the Spanish government have complained formally to the EU Parliament about Mexicans producing Manchego cheese. Mexicans are not using the milk from a particular type of sheep found in a particular region of Spain, therefore their cheese cannot possibly be called Manchego without civilization as we know it collapsing.

Also funny but of even less global significance is the EU's list of foods with 'Protected Geographic Status'.

Basically, a European country finds any old recipe that has historically been used by people in their country and the EU then passes a law that no one else is allowed to call their foods by that same name, even if produced to the exact same recipe, preparation technique etc. For example, no one is allowed to call their Soumaintrain cheese 'Soumaintrain' unless they produce it in the Burgundy region of France. If a British dairy farm produces Soumaintrain cheese and calls it 'Soumaintrain' when selling it, they are liable to be fined by the EU. At present there are 1,349 types of food that the EU protects in this manner.

This same logic is the reason the Spanish government have complained formally to the EU Parliament about Mexicans producing Manchego cheese. Mexicans are not using the milk from a particular type of sheep found in a particular region of Spain, therefore their cheese cannot possibly be called Manchego without civilization as we know it collapsing.

who has the authority to police this internationally?

Nobody, it's just an EU agreement. That's why I can make champagne in my bath-tub but I can't sell it as Champagne in Europe.

Nah, it's just european culture. Food is tied in with national pride. It's like you americans and your flags and anthem at every football match. We don't understand that either, but it's just your way of expressing patriotism.

in this case, why do they want to use name of manchego for mexican cheese, if it's not to benifit of the name brand? They can call it whatever they want. there are plenty of general names that can be used to call a food product, or in this case cheese.

For champagne, it is the same, if someone told me that american "champagne" is the same that the real champagne, he's not wine "connaisseur". they're different. I 'm not saying that french one is better, but for me american champagne is a sort of "mousseux", as we call generic sparkling wine here,

For cheese, there's a lot of different process, that make difference for example between a brie de Meaux and a camembert, between gruyère and comté or emmental.

When I saw in USA, all possible allegations in food products; it amazes me... I saw orange juice and some rice noodles said "free gluten", some orange juices said 100% orange juice, and the first ingredients are water and sugar...

djelebert wrote:For champagne, it is the same, if someone told me that american "champagne" is the same that the real champagne, he's not wine "connaisseur". they're different. I 'm not saying that french one is better, but for me american champagne is a sort of "mousseux", as we call generic sparkling wine here,

What is a 'generic' sparkling wine? Anything that's not champagne? Anyhoo there are lots of different champagne makers. Are you saying they're all as good as each other, and all equally better than any other sparkling white wine producers? Surely you know that's not true.

What you just said is like saying 'cola is better than the other generic sodas'.

What I'm trying to say, is champagne is a sparkling white wine from Champagne, geophisically talking, working habits talking, anyway "terroir" talking. All others are different, and can (or must) be called with any other name. Crémant de Loire, clairette de Die, blanquette de Limoux etc. are also sparkling white wine, some "mousseux". Champagne's not my preferred one, over estimated, exaggeratingly famous and expensive, even in France.

Coming back to topic, manchego cheese got the AOP, "terroir" norm, Mexican cheese is similar to manchego perhaps, it could be better anyway, but it's not manchego. Selling this cheese as manchego is a commercial lying ad, a scam